Battery carrier



Dec. 10, 1940. .1. A. wloRA BATTERY CARRIER Filed Nov. 23, 1938 Il m" Patented Dec. 10, 1940 VlJNlTID STATES PATENT oFFicEl-ff 2,224,561 BATTERY CARRIER Joseph A. Wiora, Chicago, Ill. Application November` 23, 1938, Serial No. 241,908

` 3 claims.

This invention relates to battery carriers which include a handle portion and gripping means at the ends thereof adapted to engage the terminals of the posts of a battery. Such battery carriers usually include a flexible handle portion and gripping members in the form of rigid plates provided with openings adapted to receive the battery terminals. When the intermediate handle portion is raised, the gripping members are canted so that the opposite edges oi'` the openings therein effectively grip the battery terminals. The effectiveness of this grip depends upon the substantial weight of the battery.

Battery carriers of this type necessitate a considerable degree of care during lifting in order to make sure that the gripping members engage the battery terminals at a suitable location. If the handle is elevated carelessly, one or other of the gripping members may not engage the associated battery terminal or it may engage the battery terminal very near its end, so that the danger cf disengagement during transport is incurred.

According to the present invention I provide an improved carrier in which the gripping means may be applied to the battery terminals in a denite position, the gripping members being held in that position irrespective-of whether or not the battery carrier is or is not being used to support the weight of a battery. Consequently, when my improved carrier is applied to a battery it may be grasped and moved instantly without any care on the part of the workman.

My improved carrier includes means which are associated with the gripping members and with the intermediate handle portion in such a way that the gripping means are canted automatically when they are applied to the terminals of the battery.

The invention will readily be understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of a carrier embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the carrier applied to a battery;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale, showing the relation of the elements of a carrier when the same is not applied to a battery;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the relation of the elements when the carrier is applied to a battery, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral I0 designates a conventionalstoragefbat# tery which is provided with a pair'of 'terminals or posts II which project upwardly from the upper surface of the battery. My improved carrier comprises a central handle portion I2 which 5 may suitably be in the form of a stoutV strap. At each end of this strap are two similar gripping members I3 which are adapted to grip the terminal posts II.

Each gripping member i3 comprises a plate I4 10 which is provided with an opening I5. The opening I5 is slightly larger in diameter than the usual post Il., so that when the plate Ill is canted into position as shown in Fig. 4, opposite edges of the opening I5 will dig into the post II. It will 15 be understood that when the battery is lifted by the strap I2, the plates I4 being in the position shown in Fig. 4, the gripping eiect between opposite edges of the opening l5 and the plate I4 will be caused to grip the terminals I I very eifec- 20 tively owing to the weight of the battery. The gripping member I3 which includes the plate I4 may be secured to the strap I2 in any suitable manner. For example, the member I3 may include a shank portion I6 which may be secured to 25 the extreme portion of the strap by means of a clip I'I.

The means whereby the plates I4 are canted will now be described. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of flat 30 springs I8 are provided. Each spring I8 is secured to the gripping member I3 and to the adjacent end of the strap I2 by being located between the shank portion i6 and the extremity of the strap, which members are rmly enclosed b-y 35 the clip member I'I. It will be understood that this clip member is strongly compressed during the assembly of the carrier so that the gripping member I3, one end of the strap. I2 and one end of the spring I8 are rigidly secured together.

Each spring I8 extends upwardly on the under side of the strap I2 for a limited distance. The relation of the strap I2 and the springs I8 is such that it is necessary to deform the springs, as shown in Fig. 2, to move the plates I4 onto the 45 terminals II. This deformation of the springs cants the plates I4 in the manner shown in Figs.

2 and 4 and, consequently, the carrier is properly secured to the battery and it may be grasped Without undue care by a workman about to trans- 50 port the battery.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5 a single continuous spring I8' is employed instead of the springs I8 of the previously described embodiment. In this embodiment the 55.

spring I8' is insulated from the gripping members I3 to prevent shorting ofthe battery. The operation of this device is precisely similar-to that of said embodiment.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A battery carrier comprising a pair of gripping members having openings adapted to receive the terminals of a battery, which members are adapted to grip the terminals when 'canted from horizontal position, a exible handle portion connected to said gripping members, and resilient means constructed and arranged to engage said handle portion to cause canting of said members into gripping relation with the battery terminals when said gripping members are applied thereto.

2. Al battery carrier comprising a pair of gripping members having openings adapted to receive the terminals of a battery, which members are adapted to grip the terminals when canted from horizontal position, a flexible strap connecting said gripping members, and a pair of flat springs secured to said gripping members and extending along the under side of the strap adapted to cant the gripping members when the same are applied to the terminals of a battery.

3. A battery carrier comprising a pair of gripping members having openings adapted to receive the terminals of a battery, which members are adapted to grip the terminals when canted from horizontal position, a flexible member connecting said .gripping members, and a flat spring cooperating with said flexible member and said gripping means whereby the latter are canted into gripping relation when applied to the terminais of a battery.

' JOSEPH A. WIORA. 

